Marilyn Pearl Murray
Marilyn Pearl Murray was born in Santa Barbara California on October 28, 1932. She passed away in her home in Santa Maria, CA with her loved ones by her side on May 19, 2023.
Marilyn’s maternal side of the family traveled from the Midwest by covered wagon and were one of the first three families to settle in Goleta Valley. She grew up in Santa Barbara and met her husband Thomas Francis Murray when she was 15 years old. She and Tom were married for 65 years. Their life together was filled with adventure and many creative endeavors, which included gardening, home renovation projects and arts and crafts which they sold at craft fairs and boutiques.
Marilyn was a “Maker” from an early age and enjoyed sewing her own clothes and designing and creating decor for her home. In her mid 50s she discovered her love of painting and she continued into her 90th year. She and her husband Tom took yearly trips to Mexico where she was an artist in residence in the local ex-patriot snowbird community.
From an early age Marilyn always wanted to be a mother and she was an incredible mother to not only her own four children but to so many other children who needed the love and care that their parents could not always provide.
Her home was always a place of love, warmth, and safety for all who visited, and she provided unconditional love and acceptance to everyone whose lives she touched. Marilyn was the glue that held her family together and she will be forever in our hearts and deeply missed by all who have been blessed by her presence in their lives. She was a strong, tenacious, and caring woman who always encouraged others to manifest their dreams! And as she herself would say she was a “little bit full of the dickens.”
Marilyn is survived by her three children, Pamela Bateman (Phil), Colleen Million (Mark), Kimberly Sheetz (Jim), Linda Murray (daughter-in-law and widow to son Tom), 14 grandchildren, 23 great grandchildren and one more on the way.
The family will hold a private memorial. In lieu of flowers donations can be sent to Director of Hospice Karen Negri made out to Dignity Health Hospice, 124 S. College Drive, Santa Maria, CA 93454